(A/N: This one-shot that was inspired by the "Wandering Child" number of the Phantom musical-and in particular Hadley Fraser's performance as Raoul in the 25th anniversary. Seriously, Hadley got me to like Raoul.

Lest anyone thinks I have forgotten "The Angel of Second Chances", I have not. It may not get updated for a few more days yet, but I haven't forgotten!)


Raoul hadn't been surprised to find Christine here at her father's grave. Of course she would find herself missing him most right now; this was one of the biggest decisions she would ever have to face.

He had, though, been surprised to find him here as well—although in retrospect, he shouldn't have been surprised at all; wherever Christine was, her angel wasn't far away.

Angel? He laughed silently to himself. That seemed like the last word in the world to describe this madman.

Angel or demon, still he calls her…

They didn't hear him, though, lost as they were in the sound of each other's voice. As much as it pained him, Raoul had to admit that Christine responded to her teacher's voice in a way she had never done to his. Truth be told, he had never seen her look happier than when she sang with her angel now—it was as if he had revived the part of her soul that had died with her father.

He was on the outside looking in at their peculiar relationship. Fear began to choke him, fear that he would lose Christine forever to this man who was so much more and so much less than the average mortal.

"Angel of darkness, cease this torment!" You are not tormenting Christine but me! "CHRISTINE!" Don't leave me! Can't you see that I love you, too?

Christine came back to him that night, but Raoul could never be completely at ease, for at the grave of Gustave Daae he had learned an important lesson: no matter who was her husband, there was a part of Christine that would always belong to the Angel of Music.